Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Options Regulatory Fee, 5800-5802 [2016-01929]
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5800
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices
• Send an email to rule-comments@
sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
NYSEArca–2016–20 on the subject line.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Paper Comments
[Release No. 34–76993; File No. SR–CBOE–
2016–004]
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–NYSEArca–2016–20. This
file number should be included on the
subject line if email is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official
business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
filing will also be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
office of the Exchange. All comments
received will be posted without change;
the Commission does not edit personal
identifying information from
submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make
available publicly. All submissions
should refer to File Number SR–
NYSEArca–2016–20 and should be
submitted on or before February 24,
2016.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.10
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–01922 Filed 2–2–16; 8:45 am]
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
Rule Change Relating to the Options
Regulatory Fee
January 28, 2016.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on January
14, 2016, Chicago Board Options
Exchange, Incorporated (the ‘‘Exchange’’
or ‘‘CBOE’’) filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the
‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I, II, and
III below, which Items have been
prepared by the Exchange. The
Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule
change from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated (the ‘‘Exchange’’ or
‘‘CBOE’’) proposes to amend the
Options Regulatory Fee. The text of the
proposed rule change is available on the
Exchange’s Web site (https://
www.cboe.com/AboutCBOE/
CBOELegalRegulatoryHome.aspx), at
the Exchange’s Office of the Secretary,
and at the Commission’s Public
Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for
the proposed rule change and discussed
any comments it received on the
proposed rule change. The text of these
statements may be examined at the
places specified in Item IV below. The
Exchange has prepared summaries, set
forth in sections A, B, and C below, of
the most significant aspects of such
statements.
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
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1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to increase
the Options Regulatory Fee (‘‘ORF’’)
from $.0064 to $.0081 per contract in
order to help ensure that revenue
collected from the ORF, in combination
with other regulatory fees and fines,
meets the Exchange’s total regulatory
costs. The proposed fee change would
be operative on February 1, 2016.
The ORF is assessed by the Exchange
to each Trading Permit Holder for all
options transactions executed or cleared
by the Trading Permit Holder that are
cleared by The Options Clearing
Corporation (‘‘OCC’’) in the customer
range (i.e., transactions that clear in a
customer account at OCC) regardless of
the exchange on which the transaction
occurs.3 In other words, the Exchange
imposes the ORF on all customer-range
transactions executed by a Trading
Permit Holder, even if the transactions
do not take place on the Exchange. The
ORF also is charged for transactions that
are not executed by a Trading Permit
Holder but are ultimately cleared by a
Trading Permit Holder. In the case
where a Trading Permit Holder executes
a transaction and a different Trading
Permit Holder clears the transaction, the
ORF is assessed to the Trading Permit
Holder who executed the transaction. In
the case where a non-Trading Permit
Holder executes a transaction and a
Trading Permit Holder clears the
transaction, the ORF is assessed to the
Trading Permit Holder who clears the
transaction. The ORF is collected
indirectly from Trading Permit Holders
through their clearing firms by OCC on
behalf of the Exchange.
The ORF is designed to recover a
material portion of the costs to the
Exchange of the supervision and
regulation of Trading Permit Holder
customer options business, including
performing routine surveillances,
investigations, examinations, financial
monitoring, as well as policy,
rulemaking, interpretive and
enforcement activities. The Exchange
believes that revenue generated from the
ORF, when combined with all of the
Exchange’s other regulatory fees and
fines, will cover a material portion, but
not all, of the Exchange’s regulatory
costs. The Exchange notes that its
regulatory responsibilities with respect
to Trading Permit Holder compliance
3 The ORF also applies to customer-range
transactions executed during Extended Trading
Hours.
1 15
10 17
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices
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with options sales practice rules have
largely been allocated to FINRA under
a 17d–2 agreement.4 The ORF is not
designed to cover the cost of that
options sales practice regulation.
The Exchange will continue to
monitor the amount of revenue
collected from the ORF to ensure that it,
in combination with its other regulatory
fees and fines, does not exceed the
Exchange’s total regulatory costs. The
Exchange monitors its regulatory costs
and revenues at a minimum on a semiannual basis. If the Exchange
determines regulatory revenues exceed
or are insufficient to cover a material
portion of its regulatory costs, the
Exchange will adjust the ORF by
submitting a fee change filing to the
Commission. The Exchange notifies
Trading Permit Holders of adjustments
to the ORF via regulatory circular. The
Exchange endeavors to provide Trading
Permit Holders with such notice at least
30 calendar days prior to the effective
date of the change.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes the proposed
rule change is consistent with the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’) and the rules and regulations
thereunder applicable to the Exchange
and, in particular, the requirements of
Section 6(b) of the Act.5 Specifically,
the Exchange believes the proposed rule
change is consistent with Section 6(b)(4)
of the Act,6 which provides that
Exchange rules may provide for the
equitable allocation of reasonable dues,
fees, and other charges among its
Trading Permit Holders and other
persons using its facilities. Additionally,
the Exchange believes the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Section
6(b)(5)7 requirement that the rules of an
exchange not be designed to permit
unfair discrimination between
customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.
The Exchange believes the proposed
fee change is reasonable because it
would help ensure that revenue
collected from the ORF, in combination
with other regulatory fees and fines,
does not exceed the Exchange’s total
regulatory costs. Moreover, the
Exchange believes the ORF ensures
fairness by assessing higher fees to those
Trading Permit Holders that require
more Exchange regulatory services
based on the amount of customer
options business they conduct.
Regulating customer trading activity is
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 76309
(October 29, 2015), 80 FR 68361 (November 4,
2015).
5 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
6 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
7 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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19:14 Feb 02, 2016
Jkt 238001
much more labor intensive and requires
greater expenditure of human and
technical resources than regulating noncustomer trading activity, which tends
to be more automated and less laborintensive. As a result, the costs
associated with administering the
customer component of the Exchange’s
overall regulatory program are
materially higher than the costs
associated with administering the noncustomer component (e.g., Trading
Permit Holder proprietary transactions)
of its regulatory program.8 The
Exchange believes the proposed fee
change is equitable and not unfairly
discriminatory in that it is charged to all
Trading Permit Holders on all their
transactions that clear in the customer
range at the OCC.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
CBOE does not believe that the
proposed rule change will impose any
burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purposes of the Act, because it
applies to all Trading Permit Holders.
The proposed ORF is comparable to fees
charged by other options exchanges for
the same or similar service. The
Exchange believes any burden on
competition imposed by the proposed
rule change is outweighed by the need
to help the Exchange adequately fund
its regulatory activities to ensure
compliance with the Exchange Act.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange neither solicited nor
received comments on the proposed
rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
The foregoing rule change has become
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)
of the Act 9 and paragraph (f) of Rule
19b–4 10 thereunder. At any time within
60 days of the filing of the proposed rule
change, the Commission summarily may
temporarily suspend such rule change if
it appears to the Commission that such
action is necessary or appropriate in the
public interest, for the protection of
investors, or otherwise in furtherance of
8 If the Exchange changes its method of funding
regulation or if circumstances otherwise change in
the future, the Exchange may decide to modify the
ORF or assess a separate regulatory fee on Trading
Permit Holder proprietary transactions if the
Exchange deems it advisable.
9 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
10 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f).
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5801
the purposes of the Act. If the
Commission takes such action, the
Commission will institute proceedings
to determine whether the proposed rule
change should be approved or
disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an email to rule-comments@
sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
CBOE–2016–004 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–CBOE–2016–004. This file
number should be included on the
subject line if email is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official
business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
filing also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
office of the Exchange. All comments
received will be posted without change;
the Commission does not edit personal
identifying information from
submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make
available publicly. All submissions
should refer to File Number SR–CBOE–
2016–004 and should be submitted on
or before February 24, 2016.
E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM
03FEN1
5802
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Notices
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.11
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–01929 Filed 2–2–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–76992; File No. SR–
NYSEMKT–2016–10]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
MKT LLC; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
Change Modifying the NYSE Amex
Options Fee Schedule To Add an Early
Adopter Specialist Credit
January 28, 2016.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3
notice is hereby given that, on January
20, 2016, NYSE MKT LLC (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE MKT’’) filed with
the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the
proposed rule change as described in
Items I, II, and III below, which Items
have been prepared by the selfregulatory organization. The
Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule
change from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of the Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to modify the
NYSE Amex Options Fee Schedule
(‘‘Fee Schedule’’). The Exchange
proposes to implement the fee change
effective February 1, 2016. The
proposed change is available on the
Exchange’s Web site at www.nyse.com,
at the principal office of the Exchange,
and at the Commission’s Public
Reference Room.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
self-regulatory organization included
statements concerning the purpose of,
and basis for, the proposed rule change
and discussed any comments it received
on the proposed rule change. The text
of those statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below.
11 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 15 U.S.C. 78a.
3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
1 15
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19:14 Feb 02, 2016
Jkt 238001
The Exchange has prepared summaries,
set forth in sections A, B, and C below,
of the most significant parts of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
The purpose of this filing is to
implement a monthly credit available to
Specialists to promote trading in Binary
Return Derivatives (‘‘ByRDs’’),4 which is
a new product that the Exchange
anticipates launching in February 2016.
To encourage trading of ByRDs, the
Exchange proposes to offer an incentive
to Specialists appointed to trade
ByRDs.5 Specialists that are appointed
in ByRDs and eligible for the incentive
payment would be known on the
Exchange’s Fee Schedule as ‘‘Early
Adopter Specialists.’’ Specifically,
effective February 1, 2016, the Exchange
proposes to offer each ‘‘Early Adopter
Specialist’’ a monthly credit of $335 for
each class of ByRDs for which that
Specialist is appointed, which the
Exchange believes would provide a
competitive incentive to Specialists
based on market conditions and
competing interests for technology.6 The
Exchange believes the proposed
incentive payment would further the
Exchange’s goal of introducing new
products to the marketplace by
encouraging Specialists to make a
market for these products.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change is consistent with
Section 6(b) of the Act,7 in general, and
furthers the objectives of Sections
6(b)(4) and (5) of the Act,8 in particular,
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 56251
(August 14, 2007), 72 FR 46523 (August 20, 2007)
(SR–Amex–2004–27) (Order approving listing of
Fixed Return Options (‘‘FROs’’)); see also Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 71957 (April 16, 2014),
79 FR 22563 (April 22, 2014) (SR–NYSEMKT–
2014–06) (Order approving name change from FROs
to Binary Return Derivatives (ByRDs) and re-launch
of these products, with certain modification, and
amending Obvious Errors rules to include ByRDs).
ByRDs are European-style option contracts on
individual stocks, exchange-traded funds and
Index-Linked Securities that have a fixed return in
cash based on a set strike price; satisfy specified
listing criteria; and may only be exercised at
expiration pursuant to the Rules of the Options
Clearing Corporation. See, e.g., NYSE MKT Rule
900ByRDs.
5 Each Specialist must be registered with the
Exchange as a Market Maker and is thus subject to
the quoting requirements imposed on Market
Makers. See, e.g., Rules 920NY, 925.1NY(b) and
927NY.
6 See proposed Section I.H. of the Fee Schedule,
which was previously Reserved.
7 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
8 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4) and (5).
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Sfmt 4703
because it provides for the equitable
allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and
other charges among its members,
issuers and other persons using its
facilities and does not unfairly
discriminate between customers,
issuers, brokers or dealers.
The Exchange believes that the
proposed monthly credit is reasonable,
equitable and not unfairly
discriminatory for the following
reasons. First, the proposed credit
would generate additional order flow to
the Exchange by creating incentives to
quote and trade ByRDs options, which
would benefit all market participants
even those not eligible to receive the
credit. The Exchange believes it is
appropriate to offer the credit to
Specialists (and not to other types of
Market Makers) as the Specialists are
subject to heightened continuous
quoting obligations, which exceed those
imposed on other Market Makers.9 The
Exchange believes the proposed credit
would recognize the contributions of
each Early Adopter Specialist to the
trading environment on the Exchange
and is designed to attract Specialists
willing to seek appointments in and,
thus provide continuous quotes in,
ByRDs options, which increase in the
availability of ByRDs options would
benefit all market participants.
In addition, the Exchange has
evaluated the market conditions,
including the technology needs of
Specialists appointed to options on
ByRDs and believes the proposed
monthly credit of $335 is reasonable,
equitable and not unfairly
discriminatory.10 The Exchange notes
that offering market participants
incentives to trade in certain newly
offered products is not new of novel.11
For these reasons, the Exchange
believes that the proposal is consistent
with the Act.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
In accordance with Section 6(b)(8) of
the Act,12 the Exchange does not believe
that the proposed rule change will
impose any burden on competition that
is not necessary or appropriate in
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
The Exchange believes the proposed
incentive is pro-competitive as it would
further the Exchange’s goal of
9 See
supra n. 5.
determining the $335 fee, the Exchange
considered factors such as systems upgrades and
additional data feeds that may be necessary to act
as a Specialist in ByRDS.
11 See Exchange Act Release No. 34–60536
(August 19, 2009), 74 FR 43204 (August 26, 2009)
(SR–ISE–2009–59).
12 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).
10 In
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5800-5802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01929]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-76993; File No. SR-CBOE-2016-004]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a
Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Options Regulatory Fee
January 28, 2016.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that
on January 14, 2016, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (the
``Exchange'' or ``CBOE'') filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described
in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by the
Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments
on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (the ``Exchange'' or
``CBOE'') proposes to amend the Options Regulatory Fee. The text of the
proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site (https://www.cboe.com/AboutCBOE/CBOELegalRegulatoryHome.aspx), at the Exchange's
Office of the Secretary, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in
Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in
sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to increase the Options Regulatory Fee
(``ORF'') from $.0064 to $.0081 per contract in order to help ensure
that revenue collected from the ORF, in combination with other
regulatory fees and fines, meets the Exchange's total regulatory costs.
The proposed fee change would be operative on February 1, 2016.
The ORF is assessed by the Exchange to each Trading Permit Holder
for all options transactions executed or cleared by the Trading Permit
Holder that are cleared by The Options Clearing Corporation (``OCC'')
in the customer range (i.e., transactions that clear in a customer
account at OCC) regardless of the exchange on which the transaction
occurs.\3\ In other words, the Exchange imposes the ORF on all
customer-range transactions executed by a Trading Permit Holder, even
if the transactions do not take place on the Exchange. The ORF also is
charged for transactions that are not executed by a Trading Permit
Holder but are ultimately cleared by a Trading Permit Holder. In the
case where a Trading Permit Holder executes a transaction and a
different Trading Permit Holder clears the transaction, the ORF is
assessed to the Trading Permit Holder who executed the transaction. In
the case where a non-Trading Permit Holder executes a transaction and a
Trading Permit Holder clears the transaction, the ORF is assessed to
the Trading Permit Holder who clears the transaction. The ORF is
collected indirectly from Trading Permit Holders through their clearing
firms by OCC on behalf of the Exchange.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ The ORF also applies to customer-range transactions executed
during Extended Trading Hours.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The ORF is designed to recover a material portion of the costs to
the Exchange of the supervision and regulation of Trading Permit Holder
customer options business, including performing routine surveillances,
investigations, examinations, financial monitoring, as well as policy,
rulemaking, interpretive and enforcement activities. The Exchange
believes that revenue generated from the ORF, when combined with all of
the Exchange's other regulatory fees and fines, will cover a material
portion, but not all, of the Exchange's regulatory costs. The Exchange
notes that its regulatory responsibilities with respect to Trading
Permit Holder compliance
[[Page 5801]]
with options sales practice rules have largely been allocated to FINRA
under a 17d-2 agreement.\4\ The ORF is not designed to cover the cost
of that options sales practice regulation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 76309 (October 29,
2015), 80 FR 68361 (November 4, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange will continue to monitor the amount of revenue
collected from the ORF to ensure that it, in combination with its other
regulatory fees and fines, does not exceed the Exchange's total
regulatory costs. The Exchange monitors its regulatory costs and
revenues at a minimum on a semi-annual basis. If the Exchange
determines regulatory revenues exceed or are insufficient to cover a
material portion of its regulatory costs, the Exchange will adjust the
ORF by submitting a fee change filing to the Commission. The Exchange
notifies Trading Permit Holders of adjustments to the ORF via
regulatory circular. The Exchange endeavors to provide Trading Permit
Holders with such notice at least 30 calendar days prior to the
effective date of the change.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') and the rules and
regulations thereunder applicable to the Exchange and, in particular,
the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.\5\ Specifically, the
Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with Section
6(b)(4) of the Act,\6\ which provides that Exchange rules may provide
for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other
charges among its Trading Permit Holders and other persons using its
facilities. Additionally, the Exchange believes the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Section 6(b)(5)\7\ requirement that the
rules of an exchange not be designed to permit unfair discrimination
between customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange believes the proposed fee change is reasonable because
it would help ensure that revenue collected from the ORF, in
combination with other regulatory fees and fines, does not exceed the
Exchange's total regulatory costs. Moreover, the Exchange believes the
ORF ensures fairness by assessing higher fees to those Trading Permit
Holders that require more Exchange regulatory services based on the
amount of customer options business they conduct. Regulating customer
trading activity is much more labor intensive and requires greater
expenditure of human and technical resources than regulating non-
customer trading activity, which tends to be more automated and less
labor-intensive. As a result, the costs associated with administering
the customer component of the Exchange's overall regulatory program are
materially higher than the costs associated with administering the non-
customer component (e.g., Trading Permit Holder proprietary
transactions) of its regulatory program.\8\ The Exchange believes the
proposed fee change is equitable and not unfairly discriminatory in
that it is charged to all Trading Permit Holders on all their
transactions that clear in the customer range at the OCC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ If the Exchange changes its method of funding regulation or
if circumstances otherwise change in the future, the Exchange may
decide to modify the ORF or assess a separate regulatory fee on
Trading Permit Holder proprietary transactions if the Exchange deems
it advisable.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
CBOE does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any
burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in
furtherance of the purposes of the Act, because it applies to all
Trading Permit Holders. The proposed ORF is comparable to fees charged
by other options exchanges for the same or similar service. The
Exchange believes any burden on competition imposed by the proposed
rule change is outweighed by the need to help the Exchange adequately
fund its regulatory activities to ensure compliance with the Exchange
Act.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange neither solicited nor received comments on the
proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \9\ and paragraph (f) of Rule 19b-4 \10\
thereunder. At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed
rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission
takes such action, the Commission will institute proceedings to
determine whether the proposed rule change should be approved or
disapproved.
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\9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f).
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IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Electronic Comments
Use the Commission's Internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
Send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File Number SR-CBOE-2016-004 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CBOE-2016-004. This file
number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help
the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently,
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on
the Commission's Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available
for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All
comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does
not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should
submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File Number SR-CBOE-2016-004 and should be
submitted on or before February 24, 2016.
[[Page 5802]]
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\11\
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
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\11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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[FR Doc. 2016-01929 Filed 2-2-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P